


There's You In Everything I Do

by Lyssala



Series: Canonverse [2]
Category: Shingeki no Kyojin | Attack on Titan
Genre: Domestic Fluff, F/M, Family Feels, Fluff, One Shot Collection, Post-Series, Tumblr request
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-10-14
Updated: 2016-10-14
Packaged: 2018-08-22 07:45:44
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 10
Words: 16,266
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8278222
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Lyssala/pseuds/Lyssala
Summary: A collection of Tumblr requests that take place Post-Series if Eren and Mikasa left the military after the war was won and moved outside the walls to build their own little home.





	1. Long Hair

**Author's Note:**

> You can also find a bit of this universe in various Feels Like Home chapters as well ^^

_**ebullience21:**  Can you make a fic were mikasa starts growing her hair out again cuz eren asked, or she did it for her, either way eren loves it and always finds himself playing with her hair in any situation._

* * *

 

Even in the short year that Eren spent away from the walls, away from the military, and everything his life had been up until the point that the last Titan fell things didn’t change too much. Well, sure he didn’t need to worry about dying every day and fighting for his life so that was new and yeah, he didn’t live inside the walls anymore but really he still felt like himself; just a little more at ease and a big weight off his shoulders.

It was his choice to leave, and he didn’t regret it in the least. He loved the fresh air of the open area he his house built in, and he loved being free to do what he pleased to do but most of all he loved being able to spend time with the people he loved, the ones that made it out with out. Armin still decided to remain in the military for now but he often came out to visit.

Mikasa stayed with Eren; something he was very grateful for and not just because her presence was always welcome. While Eren felt like he wasn’t changing too much aside from the obvious, Mikasa on the other hand was like a whole different person now that she was free from the walls and choices that caged them. Every day he watched more color rise to her face, she smiled more, she seemed brighter, happier even just doing chores around the house or farm. Her laugher filled the house much more often and that alone had Eren smiling more than he did in a long time.

Aside from all that though there was one more noticeable thing Mikasa had changed: her hair was getting longer. She always kept it very short in the military and he knew that was partly at his urging so her long hair wouldn’t get tangled and hurt her; hell, he even helped her cut it most of the time.  They lived in a world now where they didn’t need to worry about cables tangling or hair getting tangled at high speeds though and Mikasa stopped cutting it.

She’d put it up sometimes in a messy bun, or pinned up with some clips especially when she was working but Eren loved it when she left it down which she’d normally do before she went to bed. She’d lay down, her hair down past her shoulders and spilling down onto her back. She’d laugh but Eren always loved to reach over and run his fingers through her long hair. She’d wrap her arms around him, leaning her head against his chest while Eren ran his fingers against her head and down till her hair stopped causing him to reach up and do it again.

Her hair was just so soft. He had no idea how she managed it because his hair was definitely not that soft. He was a guy though, maybe that was normal but Eren remembered Sasha always complaining that her hair was tangled and matted and Mikasa never seemed to, not when it was short and not when it was long. It was kinda like silk, well, Eren assumed he never actually felt silk before but it was probably soft enough. His fingers just slid right through every time he played with it; it was so beautiful, but that shouldn’t surprise him since Mikasa was always beautiful.

“Why do you always do that?” she mumbled against his chest one night while his hand was bushing through her hair.

“Hmm?”

“Why do you always run your fingers through my hair?” she asked, eyes looking up at him.

“It’s so soft,” he answered honestly. “I’ve never felt anything like it before.”

Mikasa chuckled as he reached up again to brush through her hair.

“How do you do it?”

“Do what?”

“Get it so soft?”

“Why?” she teased. “Want your hair to be as soft?”

“Maybe.”

She laughed. “I don’t do anything different to it so I’m not sure. Sorry I can’t help get your hair silky soft.”

“That’s okay.” He pressed a light kiss against her head before he ran his fingers through her hair again.

Mikasa let out a content hum. “It could be because of my mom.”

Eren paused for a moment; she still didn’t talk about her parents very often so he wanted to proceed carefully. “What makes you say that?”

“Her hair was like mine. She’s the only one I’ve ever seen who had fine, dark hair like mine.”

“Did you like to play with her hair too?”

“Maybe,” Mikasa laughed. “Maybe when I was a baby.”

Eren ran his hand through her hair again. “Do you think our kids will have your hair too then?”

She was quiet for a moment and with a jolt, Eren realized what he had asked her. “No,” she said. “I hope they have your hair.” Mikasa reached up to ruffle his own head of hair, though he was sure it didn’t feel half as nice as her hair felt.

“My hair?” he snorted, trying to ignore the fluttering in his stomach at the thought of little kids with his hair and Mikasa’s eyes. “Why would you want anyone to have my mop?”

She laughed again, settling back down against him. “I love your hair too.”

Eren rolled his eyes but he rested his hand on her lower back, shutting his eyes as he leaned his head against hers.

“It was one of the first compliments I got from a stranger.” Her voice was softer now, likes she was falling asleep; which wasn’t too uncommon, Eren often put her to sleep when he played with her hair.

“About your hair?”

Mikasa nodded against him. “It was Jean, he told me it was beautiful and exotic.”

Eren grunted. “What an ass.”

“Stop it,” she laughed. “I didn’t like the attention so I didn’t take it for much, but I remember it.”

“Well, it is beautiful,” Eren said. “Not because it’s exotic, but because it’s just another part of you. It’s you who’s beautiful.”

“When did you get to be such a sweet talker?”

“Who says I wasn’t always?”

Mikasa actually laughed a loud at that one but he wouldn’t have ever been mad, not when he had to smile every time he heard her happy like that. He reached up to her head again, this time to just tangle his fingers in her hair and to hold her close to him.


	2. Dance

_**Anonymous:**  Au or canon Eremika, where there are just happy and dancing together or singing to each other <3_

* * *

 

Music wasn’t something Mikasa had very often. They couldn’t afford the luxury of music when she was a child and obviously there was no time for it when she was in the military. Sometimes she heard people playing if they had to travel through market places and towns but that was as close as she got.

Things were different now though. She had her own home, her own space to do as she pleased without having to report to anyone or even really be on a time schedule. More often than not when the house was quiet and it was just her she liked to turn on the small radio Eren bought her and let the static filled music play in the small room. It was sometimes hard to actually hear the music  because the nearest radio station was quite a ways away from where her and Eren lived. Still, it was nice to have something other than silence when Eren was working in town and she was here alone.

She was beginning to remember the songs and even hum along to the tunes. It was nice, it made Mikasa feel at peace like when her mother used to hum to her or when Carla would sing. The both of them probably would’ve liked to have a radio.

Mikasa hummed along as she rinsed off a dish in the sink, the sun shining through the open window in front of her. It hadn’t really been that long since their house was built, since they moved away from the walls but at the same time it felt like she always lived like this. She knew it was nothing farther than the truth, but this was her life now. She never had to go back to the way things were before. Eren never had to fight again and Armin didn’t have to fear for his friend’s lives. Things were better.

She placed the dish off to the side before picking up another one to clean. The song playing was nice and upbeat, something she found she liked the best. It got lonely if Eren had to go in to town by himself but she found having the music on playing she was in a better of a mood while she was home. Mikasa let her body sway back and worth to the music, feeling the melody and rhythm all throughout her. If it had lyrics she might’ve been tempted to even sing along.

“I didn’t know you danced.”

The sudden sound of Eren’s voice nearly made her drop the plate she was rinsing off. She grabbed a towel to dry her hands off as she turned around to see him standing near the doorway, an amused look on his face.

“I can if I want to,” she said, tossing the towel back down on the counter. She was about to ask him how everything went but he was already walking over to her, reaching his hand over to the radio. Mikasa thought he was gonna turn it off but instead he turned it up. It was filled with static but the music was still coming through.

He moved so he was standing in front of her, so close she almost felt his breath on her face. It didn’t matter how long they had known each other, how long she had been in love with him, it still made her heart skip when she looked up to meet his eyes.

“Dance with me then,” he said.

She really did try not to laugh. “Can you dance?”

“I can if I want to.”

She was gonna say that stealing what she had to say didn’t count but he put one arm around her waist and took her hand with the other one. The hand he wasn’t holding fell to his shoulder and Mikasa was having a hard time remembering how to breathe when he started to move his body to the beat of the song.

Okay, so it was more like swaying to the music and not a formal dance but Mikasa was about as experienced as he was in that regard so this was perfectly fine. She never dreamed there would be a day that she could actually have the peace and leisure to dance with the man she loved in their kitchen.

His eyes were so much brighter lately too. The end of it all took a toll on him, and it took a little bit for him to really accept the things that happened and be able to move onto his new life. He smiled more now, he laughed more, he reminded her more of the little boy he used to be and she hoped she looked the same way in his eyes.

Eren let her go to spin her around carefully before pulling her back into him and making her laugh as he did. He hummed and leaned down to press a quick kiss to her lips.

“It was a good day I take it?” Mikasa asked.

He closed his eyes for a moment before looking down at her, a small smile on his lips. “How can it not be?”

Her heart caught up in her throat. If there was one thing she always wanted for Eren, it was for him to be happy, really, genuinely happy. She didn’t know if she’d ever see the day or if she’d get to be the one to share that happiness with him but she was here and so was he. She never saw him as happy as he had been these past few months.

“I love you,” she breathed. It wasn’t the first time she told him, and it probably wouldn’t be the last but she held the words back for so long she just didn’t want to ever again.

A different sort of smile pulled at his lips, one she had a feeling she was the only one who got to see it. “I love you too.”

Mikasa reached up to swing her arms around his neck, burying her face into his neck.

He chuckled but lifted her right off the ground, holding her close to him. “Don’t ever forget it.”

How could she ever? Not when this life used to be just a fantasy and nothing more. But here they were. They came so far from two scared kids in Shiganshina. The future was still uncertain. Eren didn’t know if he was gonna go back to help the military every so often, whether they’d have to move somewhere farther on the frontier, whether their family could grow or not, but she knew that as long as she could dance with Eren just because they were happy to be here and be together everything else didn’t matter.


	3. Hard Times Come Again No More

_Mikasa tells Eren she's pregnant_

* * *

 

Mikasa didn’t need to go to the doctor down in the village like Eren had asked her to do today; she already knew what was wrong. Instead she sat down on the couch, tugging at a hand towel in her lap trying to distract herself until Eren came home. He was meeting Armin who had a team scouting some new areas in the land beyond their town; they offered up their yard to house as a base for the team while they mapped the surrounding lands for a few weeks.

It was probably the worst timing for her realization.

With a sigh she leaned back against the couch, maybe if she fell asleep it would help and she was exhausted. Getting sick almost every morning, aches in her lower back, tenderness in her body, it was all rather exhausting; and rather telling, she thought with a wince. She might have not had a doctor come out and tell her, but she had to take a class in training; she very well knew what the signs were pointing to.

Mikasa tried to tell herself she was just getting sick, that she worked too hard and was wearing her body out. The lack of her cycle wasn’t anything new; she was overly active since she was twelve years old. There were plenty of months she never saw anything but there was one thing that told her everything she needed as confirmation.

Her hand fluttered to her stomach, feeling the soft swell even through her clothes. Add it to the list of other signs her body had been trying to show her and she really didn’t need a doctor to tell her she was pregnant.

Her heart simultaneously leapt and sunk when she let her mind tell her the truth. A part of her was more than elated; this was all that she had ever wanted. She dreamed of having a house, a family with the person she loved most in the world. Mikasa had the house, and she had Eren, logically the next step would be to have a family but it wasn’t anything they had talked about yet. They were engaged, but they weren’t even married so of course they hadn’t talked about having kids or if they even wanted to have kids.

Mikasa did, of course she did. She wanted little ones who looked like their dad, and she wanted to love them the way her parents had loved her before they died. She wanted to give them the life she never had and show them the love that both she and Eren had missed since they were kids. Eren though, Mikasa didn’t know.

He willingly left the military to live outside the walls with her, made sure she had a house that she loved, and asked her to marry him. She saw him smile more than she ever had now that he was free to be able to live how he wanted to but a child that was a different story. He didn’t have to tell her that he was afraid whatever had been injected into him would be transferred to his children; she already knew he felt that way and she knew he would never want what he had to deal with given to his kids.

They both also lost their parents at young ages; what did they know about being parents? They were in the military when they should have still been playing in the fields. What did they know about what children needed and didn’t need?

Mikasa hadn’t even noticed she was absent mindedly rubbing her stomach until she looked down. Despite all of the uncertainly and all the fear, Mikasa couldn’t help but feel her heart swell. She was going to have a baby with the one person she had loved for so long.

“Hello,” she said softly, her fingers running over the swell in her stomach. A part of her felt a little silly talking to something that she very well knew probably didn’t even have ears yet but at the same time nothing felt more natural. “I’m very happy that you’re here, you have no idea. Your daddy…he doesn’t know about you yet but…” She felt tears prick at her eyes despite the fact all her mind was really thinking was how didn’t Eren know yet, he was the son of a doctor. “I hope he’ll be just as happy as me.” This time the tears didn’t fall a mix of hope, fear, and probably just some hormones too.

She reached the hand towel up to her eyes, trying to dry them as quickly as she could but they just kept falling. What if he was upset? What if he didn’t want to have it, to have any kids? Mikasa wasn’t sure she would be able to take it, not after she realized just how much she wanted to have this baby.

“Hey, Mikasa, we’re he-” Eren must have cut off when he saw her sitting on the couch because the next thing Mikasa knew he was kneeling in front of her, his hands on her face. “Hey, what’s wrong? Did something happen?”

She nearly started to cry harder when she saw the worry and concern in his eyes, etched onto his face. “I’m fine, it’s okay,” she choked, trying to wave him off but it didn’t work.

He brushed her tears off her face with his thumbs but didn’t move. “Was it something the doctor said?”

Mikasa shook her head. “I didn’t go to the doctors.” She watched his forehead furrow.

“Why not? You haven’t been feeling well for a while now. C’mon, I’ll let Armin set up and I’ll go down with you.” He went to stand up but Mikasa grabbed a hold of his hand, keeping him kneeled in front of her.

She had to tell him; even though she was very aware there was a whole team of people and their best friend standing outside. She had to tell him. “No, Eren, I didn’t go because I already know what’s wrong.”

He placed his other hand on her leg, watching her intently. “What is it?”

Mikasa bit her bottom lip, her fingers tugging at her shirt. “I…I’m pregnant.”

It took a moment to sink in as Eren’s eyes widened. “You…you…uhh…really?” He didn’t seem upset, just surprised.

She nodded reaching a hand up to rub her eye.

“Are…are you sure?”

Mikasa just wanted to cry again, but when she looked at him there still wasn’t any anger or even regret. He still just looked like she completely caught him off guard and he was unsure what to say or do. So she decided maybe she should just show him; show him when she realized.  She unbuttoned the bottom half of her blouse and reached for his hand that was resting on her leg. Carefully she pressed his hand to her stomach that really wasn’t that big but it stood out against her otherwise lean body.

His fingers moved gently against her, feeling the curve over the small swell as a smile started to pull at his lips. “You’re pregnant.” It wasn’t really a question or a statement but his voice seemed steadier now.

“Yeah,” she answered, choking back a laugh at his tone.

“I mean, you’re _pregnant_.”

“Yes, Eren.” She was laughing now that he was smiling. “That’s what I said.”

He reached his hands up to her face and carefully pulled her closer to him, until his lips were pressed against his.

“You aren’t upset?” she murmured against his lips when he started to pull away.

“How could I ever,” he said, leaning his forehead against hers. “We’re gonna have a family again.”

Mikasa threw her arms around Eren’s neck, burying her face in his shoulder as the tears started to fall again, but this time because she was happy.

He wrapped his arms around her and pulled her up with him as he stood to his feet, his hand rubbing her back. “It’s okay,” he said, and Mikasa could feel him laughing against her. “Everything’s okay. Don’t think this means you got out of going to the doctor though. I’m still taking you today.”

She nodded against him, but it really was okay. Everything was okay; it was better than okay. It was what she always wanted.

“Want me to write Levi a note, tell him to come down here for a shotgun wedding?”

Mikasa turned her head towards the new but familiar voice.

Armin was standing the doorway, wearing his uniform and cloak and looking older than even she remembered seeing him last.

“God no,” Eren snorted. “There will be less wedding and more shotguns aimed at me.”

She reached down to button her shirt back up before carefully detangling herself from Eren and making her way over to her old friend.

He was already waiting with open arms. Armin pulled her into a hug, lifting her off her feet as he did. “It’s so good to see you,” he said, leaning his head against hers. “And congratulations. If anyone deserves everything she wants in the world, it’s you.”

“I missed you, Armin,” Mikasa said as he put her down.

“I missed you too.”

She felt Eren’s hand press down on her shoulder, causing her to look up at him.

“You gonna be okay getting everyone set up?” Eren asked.

“Yeah, I’ll have them unload and set up in the back yard. I’ll bring up food from town for everyone too.”

“Alright, we’ll be back in a little bit then. I’m gonna go get someone to tell her she better keep of her feet cause you know she isn’t gonna listen to me.” He braced one arm around her back and the other under her knees as he picked her up off the ground. “You’ve taken care of me almost my whole life. It’s my turn now.” He turned his head towards Armin. “We’ll be back, buddy.”

“Bye, see you soon,” Armin waved with a shake of his head.

Mikasa rested her head against Eren as he walked down the path that would bring them to town. She never dreamed she’d ever be lucky enough to live out her dreams, but here she was. There was just only one other thing she wanted to know.

She looked up at him, meeting his eyes as another smile pulled at her lips. “Do you want it to be a boy or a girl?”


	4. Father's Day

_**Anonymous:**  For father's day how about pregnant Mikasa cooking Eren something his mother cooked him for special occasions. In canon if possible please._

* * *

 

While Mikasa didn’t have any recipes written down from when she was a child, all it took was a few close walk throughs of the market to remember everything she’d need. Her basket was heavy on her arm as she walked back up from town to her home and the other hand resting on her swollen stomach. She looked up at the sun to try and see if she could tell what time it was. Her calculations might not’ve been exact but she still knew there was time left to cook the meal before Eren came home.

He normally didn’t even work on Sundays but there were things even he couldn’t control. Mikasa was actually a little relieved when he told her. She was just gonna make dinner and hopefully have him not catch on but now that he wasn’t home at all she could give him a real surprise.

Mikasa walked up the steps of the porch and opened the front door, only closing the screen door behind her to get more warm air inside. She placed the basket up on the kitchen counter and looked over the things she pulled out before she left for town. Yeah, that seemed like everything she’d need.

“Okay,” she said aloud, rubbing her hand over her stomach. “We’re gonna make something real special for your dad today.” Mikasa got a little bit of kicking in response as she started to unpack all the food she bought at the market onto the counter so she could clean it and cut it up. She flipped on the gas stove in the corner of the kitchen so that would start to heat up as well.

Once everything was laid out in front of her she went to work cutting up the vegetables and pieces of meat so they could be seasoned correctly. She boiled some water and poured rice in to steam while she prepared the seasoning to the best of her knowledge.

“Your grandma had a very particular way of cooking,” Mikasa said even though she very well knew the baby couldn’t hear her but at the least she knew the baby knew her voice. “I can still remember helping her make dinner. It was one of my favorite parts of the day. I can remember almost all the ways she cooked which is coming in handy today.”

Mikasa dipped the meat in seasoning she made and set it aside to sit for a while. “This was always your dad’s favorite meal. I can’t even remember how many times he used to ask her to make it. There was just something about it he loved. I don’t think he’s had it since your grandma passed, so hopefully I remember it as well as he does, hmm?”

The baby spun around a little bit in her stomach reacting to her moving around and her voice more than anything Mikasa was sure but it was still important to her to include the little one as much as she could in this. After all, she was doing this since it was Father’s Day.

“I doubt he even knows,” Mikasa said aloud, running some water over more vegetables to steam. “He’s never been one to pay attention to those kinda things but I still thought it’d be nice. It’s technically his first Father’s Day after all.” She got a kick in response. “That’s right because of you.”

Once the vegetables were steaming alongside the rice, Mikasa placed the meat on a tray and slipped them in the oven to bake. She tried to clean up the mess she made while everything was cooking, but was careful to leave out the seasoning so she could put it on the rice when it was done, just like she remembered Eren liking it.

It was still a little hard to believe this was their life now, and that it was a peaceful one at that but here they were. The past was a hard thing to forget, but at least they had more of a future to look forward to these days. She glanced over to the clock sitting on the table nearby. Mikasa didn’t quite know what time Eren would be back but she also didn’t want the food to get cold waiting for him.

She peaked in the oven to check on the meat which was looking pretty cooked. She pulled the steaming pieces out and placed them on plates she had set out earlier. Mikasa did the same with the cooked vegetables and hot rice. She sprinkled the seasoning over the rice and melted some butter over the vegetables like Carla used to do to get Eren to eat them.  Mikasa placed a small towel over each plate before setting them down at the table.

“I hope that’ll keep them warm,” she murmured aloud. Though, she didn’t have to wonder for too long.

The door swung open as Eren stepped in a tired expression on his face. Not that Mikasa blamed him; it wasn’t exactly fun having to go in on your day off. “Hey,” he said, closing the door behind him. “Sorry, about today.”

“It’s fine,” she waved him off. “You came home just in time.”

He walked over, leaning in to kiss her and resting his hands on the sides of her stomach. “Everything go okay today?”

She nodded. “Everything’s fine. We made dinner for you already.”

“Did you?” He glanced over to the covered plates on the table before bending over to kiss the top of her stomach. “Well, thank you,” he murmured against her.

Mikasa ran her fingers through his hair before he lifted his head to kiss her again.

“And thank you. It smells great.” Eren gave her stomach another rub before walking over to sit down at the table.

She followed behind a little surprised he didn’t even recognize the smell of it. Well, maybe when he tasted it he’d remember. It had been a very long time after all. Mikasa sat down next to him at her place at the table but she let him take off the cover from the plate.

He recognized it before he even tasted it she could tell. His eyes widened as he looked down at the dish. “Is this…?” Eren met her glance, his expression a mix of surprise and disbelief.

Mikasa nodded. “I went to find all the ingredients I could remember. I’m pretty sure I got it all since your mom and I made it so often.”

He let out a bit of a choked noise. “I can’t believe you remembered. I thought I’d never have this again.”

“We wanted to do something special for you today,” she smiled, rubbing her hand over her stomach. “And I thought a little help from your mom would be appropriate for your first Father’s day.”

Eren still looked like he was in disbelief but whether it was still from the food or if it was because he had forgotten about the day she wasn’t too sure. She didn’t really care which one it was though, she just wanted to always see the smile that was pulling at his lips on his face. He picked up the fork by the plate and leaned in to take a bit of the rice.

She waited for his response. Just because she remembered it didn’t mean it was gonna come out just the way he did.

“Oh my God, Mikasa,” he breathed looking over to her. “It’s incredible. It’s like she used to make it. Thank you.” Before she could respond he leaned over to press his face close to her stomach. “Thank you too.”

The baby flipped around in her stomach. There wasn’t much of a doubt that it knew who its father was.

“My mom would be proud,” Eren said, looking back up to Mikasa. “That you remembered everything she taught you.”

“I’d never forget.”

He sat back in his chair and reached over to remove the cover over her plate, gesturing for her to eat with him. It only took one bite for Mikasa to feel the same overwhelming sense of nostalgia that Eren had. It really was just like Carla used to make it. Mikasa couldn’t help but think about how happy his mom would be, knowing they made the most of the life she had given them the day she saved them.

“You know,” he said in between bites. “I think I get why my parents did what they did for us.” He placed his free hand over the hand Mikasa was resting on her stomach. “Cause I know if it came down to it I’d do the same.”

She never doubted it. She never doubted that he was gonna be a wonderful dad.


	5. Moods

_**Anonymous:**  pregnancy eremika please!! like mikasa was pregnant and have mood swing and she always feel like crying over everything and eren being so sweet he stay with her and treat her as gentle as he can and they end up sitting together cuddling and mikasa feel a lot better._

* * *

 

Eren didn’t ever think he ever saw Mikasa cry quite so much as he had in the last few months. Even as a little girl she rarely cried, just a few times he knew of when she was overwhelmed by the past. Now it seemed like every time Eren walked in the door she was crying over something. It could’ve been the food got overcooked, or something broke, or she couldn’t find something, or sometimes she didn’t even know why she was crying.

He knew why; being eight months pregnant probably wasn’t a fun experience. He hated seeing her cry even if he knew the emotions were just part of what her body was going through to support another life.

It was always a mix of excitement and worry walking up the path that led back to their home from his day working in the town. He was always happy to come home and see Mikasa who he missed all day but these days he was more worried about what state he was gonna find her in. He tried to tell her he’d stay home with her but Mikasa wasn’t having it, the townspeople needed a doctor more than she did she said. She wouldn’t listen when he said he wasn’t the only one and technically he was still under training, not that he thought she would.

Eren stepped up the porch steps and pushed open the front door into their small home. “Mikasa?” he called in not wanting to scare her if she didn’t see him coming.

She waved weakly at him from the couch where she was sitting, laundry half folded in front of her, and her eyes brimming with tears.

“Hey, what’s wrong?” he asked, kneeling down in front of her and placing a hand on her arm.

“I lost a sock.” Some of the tears rolled down her cheek and she reached up to wipe them away. “It’s a stupid sock and it shouldn’t make me so upset but here I am. I just want the sock back.”

Well, at least it wasn’t anything serious. “It probably just blew away. We can buy more socks, it’s okay.”

She nodded but there were still tears in her eyes.

“Alright.” He stood up and held his hands out to her. “Why don’t you come with me for a little bit?”

Mikasa put her hands in his and let him help her to her feet. Once she had her balance Eren led her upstairs. Their bedroom was pretty small, but it was home, and he was more than ready to kick his legs up for a little bit. He laid back on the bed with a sigh, propping his back up with some pillow against the backboard.

“C’mon,” he gestured for her to follow. “Everything else can wait, okay?”

She carefully pushed herself onto the bed with him, settling down so she was in between his legs, her back pressed up against his chest. Mikasa rolled her head against his shoulder as he wrapped his arms around her, placing his hands over her swollen stomach.

“Better?” he asked, pressing a kiss to her temple.

“Much better,” Mikasa sighed closing her eyes.

“Do anything today that didn’t make you cry?”

She elbowed him in the side but it was worth it because he could feel her laughing. “Yes, thank you. Lots of things. You just happened to catch me on something that did.”

He chuckled and leaned his head against hers. “It’s okay, only natural.”

Natural. All of this did seem so natural for Eren to come home to his wife, his family, safe in a little home out of the way from the walls and the bittersweet memories that resided in them. What was natural now used to be an impossibility but the world had changed and they with it. They were safe now. Eren traced his fingers over Mikasa’s stomach; he felt a kick where his hand was resting. A smile pulled at his lips.

“Eren?”

“Hmm?” he looked up to see Mikasa watching him. “I’m sorry, what is it?”

“I just asked how your day was.”

“Oh, it was fine. Nothing out of the normal. Most of it is stuff I can still remember from my dad.”

“Did he teach you a lot?”

It was so rare for the either of them to talk about their parents, but Eren didn’t mind so much. It was better to keep them alive that way. “As much as a kid could understand, but I watched him a lot so I remember some basic things like that. Thankfully there hasn’t been anything too serious to take care of in town.” He looked up when he heard her sniff. “Mikasa.” Eren reached a hand up to brush the tears off her cheek. “What is it?”

“Our kids would’ve had such good grandparents,” she choked and he couldn’t help but chuckle.

“Kids? Aren’t you getting a head of yourself? We haven’t even gotten this one yet.” He pressed a kiss to her neck and she reached back to hit him.

“You know what I mean,” she said, but she was smiling again.

“No, I don’t.” Another kiss to her jaw. “Do you want to have more kids?”

“Maybe.”

“Maybe?”

She hummed in response. “We’ll have to see how much this one…” She patted her stomach. “Takes after you.”

“Real cute, Mikasa.”

She laughed and placed her hands over his as he laced his fingers with hers. “I hope it’s a boy with your eyes, your messy hair, and your love for life.”

“I’d say I’d hope it’s a girl as beautiful as her mom, but then I’d have to scare off too many prospective boys so let’s go with a boy.”

Mikasa laughed again and Eren knew he’d never get tired of hearing it. “You’d love having a little girl. I know you.”

“I would, she just probably wouldn’t love me when she was a teenager.”

Mikasa leaned her head back against Eren’s. She didn’t have to say it, he knew by the content sigh from her lips she was just happy there were where they were and that they could even have a family. It was a concern when they first moved away from the military but they figured they’d deal with it when they were ready to start their family. It turned out their family was coming a little bit earlier than expected but as long as the baby and Mikasa were healthy Eren didn’t care.

“If we stay here much longer I’m gonna fall asleep,” Mikasa murmured, her eyes already closed.

Eren didn’t answer her; he just rested his cheek against her head. That was okay. She needed to get some rest because he knew she probably didn’t since she woke up this morning. Dinner could wait, cleaning could wait, everything else could wait. Her breathed started to even out as Eren held her signaling she was making good on her statement.

This was his life now; earning a trade, not fighting, not risking his life, just working and coming home to his family, one that would soon include small footsteps running against the floor. It was everything he never knew he wanted until he had the chance to have it. He’d never regret the choices he made that got him here holding the woman he loved, the one carrying their child. He only wanted her to be happy. The only tears he ever wanted to see from her eyes were of happiness or of course, maybe some hormones.


	6. Sick

_**Anonymous:**  Can you write where Eren was the one who caught the morning sickness instead of Mikasa._

* * *

 

Mikasa was used to waking up early, more often than not in the middle of the night, due to the cries of a baby that didn’t want to sleep any longer and before that she was used to barely sleeping at all due to her pregnancy; Mikasa wasn’t sure if she would actually get a full nights rest again. This morning, like so many others, she was woken up by unfamiliar sounds jolting her out of her rest. Unlike other mornings though it wasn’t Nicolas crying, it was a much lower of a tone and more of a groan than a cry.

She sat up in her bed, the early morning light starting to shine in the windows. It wasn’t until she heard the chocked coughing coming from the bathroom and noticed Eren wasn’t asleep next to her that pieces fit into her still half asleep mind. She quickly swung her legs out of the bed and walked the short distance to the bathroom attached to their room.

Sure enough, Eren was sitting on the ground in front of the toilet, his head resting on the seat. He looked pale and had a sheen of sweat over his skin; his eyes were closed as his chest moved with labored breaths. Obviously, something wasn’t right.

“Eren?” she said softly so she wouldn’t scare him as she carefully walked to where he was sitting. “What’s wrong?”

He cracked his eyes open look up at her weakly. “I have no idea,” he mumbled, his voice strained.

Mikasa sat down next to him and placed her hand on his back, trying to rub soothing circles to relax his body. “Have you been in here a while?” she asked.

He nodded his head weakly against the seat. “I woke up when I didn’t feel well and have been here ever since.”

“Were you sick?”

“God, yeah,” he groaned. “I don’t wanna talk about that, it’s making my stomach turn just thinking about it.”

He seemed to relax a little bit so she just decided to sit by him and keep him company provided their son decided he wanted to sleep a little longer this morning. She didn’t want to ask Eren about what he thought it might be in case the thought of it did make him sick again. As far as she knew he hadn’t eaten anything out of the normal, or eaten anything that she herself didn’t eat.

She supposed he could just be sick; it was starting to get colder outside. A change of temperature could have shifted something in his body to make him get sick. She reached her other hand up to his forehead to see if he had a fever too. His skin felt a little clammy and warmer than usual even for him.  “I don’t know if I’ve ever seen you this sick before,” Mikasa said, her forehead furrowing. Now she was starting to worry, this wasn’t like him at all.  

Eren cracked an eye open at her. “I’m fine,” he murmured. “Why don’t you go check on Nic, I haven’t heard him in a little bit.”

Mikasa knew he was right but she didn’t want to just leave Eren like this here too, no, he needed her too. “How about you get yourself back to bed and I’ll bring you up some ginger tea, alright?”

Eren nodded closing his eyes again.

She leaned in to press a kiss to his shoulder before standing up to her feet and walking to the sink to wash her hands so she could get Nicolas too.

“How did you do this every morning for weeks,” Eren groaned.

A smile cracked at her lips; he had taken care of her then too, it was her turn now. “It wasn’t easy, but it was worth it.”

He barely moved that time.

“I’ll be right back for you okay?” She could just make out his head moving before she walked out of the room and into the short hallway that lead to Nicolas’ room. She was more than a little surprised to see him laying awake but not making a fuss.

His face broke into a wide smile when he saw her, his hands reaching up making grabbing motions and his legs kicking.

“Well, good morning to you too,” Mikasa said brightly, reaching to pick up her small son.

Nicolas made some pleasant gurgling sounds as he grabbed fistfuls of her shirt in his tiny fists.

“Okay, Daddy’s not feeling so well today,” she said as she grabbed a few things from his room that she’d need to complete their morning routine downstairs. “So we’re gonna take care of him.”

Nicolas seemed far more interested in pulling in the fabric of her skirt than what she had to say but that was expected. Mikasa carried him and her basket of things downstairs to the kitchen so she could start boiling water for some tea. She went about her morning routine with Nicolas so that he was changed, clothed, and fed before wrapping him up in a sling around her chest; keeping him close and steady to her but leaving her hands free to do whatever else she needed to do.

She put the right herbs and spices into a cup before pouring the hot water into it to make some tea that might help Eren’s stomach while Nicolas tugged on her shirt, squirming in the sling. “Yes, I know there are about a thousand things more you’d rather be doing, but we have to check on Daddy first.”  

That seemed to settle him down some though the only word he probably recognized was “Daddy”, still it was good enough for her. She poured a cup of water too to get some back in Eren’s system and put a bowl under her arm before heading back upstairs to her bedroom.

She carefully pushed the door open to see that Eren had made it back to bed, though just barely. He was laying there curled up but he looked like he hadn’t even had the energy to put the blankets back over him. He wasn’t asleep either; his breathing was too uneven for that. “Hey, how are you feeling?”

Eren opened his eyes but that was the only amount of motion he made. “A little better.”

“Well, that’s a start.” She placed the tea and water on the nightstand before tucking the bowl next to him on the bed.

“How’s Nic?” Eren mumbled lifting his head lightly to look at her.

Mikasa placed a hand on Nicolas’s back; he was reaching one hand out towards Eren who waved a few fingers weakly at the boy. “He’s fine he was perfectly happy when I got him this morning.”

Eren made some kinda of impressed grunt. “Maybe he’ll start sleeping through the night.”

“One can hope,” she chuckled, giving Eren a smile. “Get some sleep, there’s tea and water here. Try to at least drink all the water and try the tea if you feel up to it. I won’t be far so just call me if you need me okay?” She picked up the blankets he had by his feet and put them up over his shoulders.

Eren closed his eyes and nodded. “Thank you.”

Mikasa leaned in to brush some of his bangs from his face. “Of course, when have I not taken care of you?”

A smile cracked on his lips as his breath finally evened out.


	7. Legacy

_Levi tries to make Eren and Mikasa’s kid a true Ackerman_

* * *

 

“Are you coming or what, kid?” Levi looked behind him to see not only Nicolas Jaeger not listening but also trying to feed some stay cat the rest of his lunch. “Leave the cat alone, it probably has worms or something.”

Nicolas dropped the rest of his sandwich just in case the shy cat wanted it as he stood up, hurrying back over to Levi’s side and grabbing a hold of his open hand. “Like earthworms?”

“Not really, no,” Levi said, making sure the four year old stayed by his side as they continued down into the somewhat busy area of the town.

“What kinda worms?”

“Gross worms.”

Nicolas wrinkled his nose. “Gross.”

Levi knew the marketplace would probably be busy today since it was the morning and a weekday but he thought the kid might get entertained enough by everything there. Levi supposed he might’ve been right if Nic could actually see anything over all the people that where there.

He didn’t say anything; he just walked along even if he couldn’t really see more than people’s legs. He was a good kid, well behaved and not throwing tantrums all the time which only proved he took after more his mother than his father, even if Nicolas looked like smaller version on Eren. It was good, God, like they needed another one of him. Levi reached down to pick up Nic underneath his arms, swinging him up onto Levi’s shoulders in one easy motion.

Nicolas laughed like it was the most fun he had all day, his hands reaching up to grasp onto Levi’s hair while he grabbed a hold of Nic’s legs to keep him steady.

“Can you see better now?” Levi asked and judging by the way Nic’s body was rocking back and forth he was nodding, unaware Levi couldn’t really see from that angle. He kept maneuvering through the marketplace but kept his pace slow as to take up more time. It wasn’t technically his day off so the longer he took the better in his eyes.

“Papa?”

“Yeah, kid?” Levi answered.

“Where are we going?”

“Nowhere really, just getting away.”

“Why?”

Levi cut through the crowd taking Nicolas along the side with all the fresh fruits and vegetables to look at. “So your parents can sleep for once and so I don’t have to do any work.”

“Carla is loud,” Nicolas said with some distaste, probably because he was on the receiving end of listening to his baby sister cry all night.

“Babies tend to be. You were loud when you were as young as her.”

“No, I wasn’t,” Nic laughed.

“Yes, you were, I was there, kid.”

“Papa, look! Apples!”

There was quite an array of apples but probably not so impressive to get that excited over. “Yes, apples,” Levi answered. He admittedly didn’t know what to do with kids when Nic was born; Hanji was the more maternal one. It didn’t take Levi too long to catch on though even if he’d never admit it to anyone. “You want one?”

“Um, no,” Nic said, kicking his legs against Levi’s chest.

“No, thank you,” he corrected.

“No, thank you.”

Levi headed towards the end of the marketplace knowing where it would lead him. Most people didn’t recognize him and if they did these days they’d assume it wasn’t Levi Ackerman since he never actually left the Scouting Legion base; which was a pretty big lie but one Levi enjoyed. He didn’t like being bothered when he was working let alone when he was in the street with his sort of grandson.

Levi still wasn’t exactly sure how he and Mikasa were related, but he did know they were the only biological family they had left. If that meant looking after her children so she could sleep, he was fine with it; and he’d rather take the one who could talk and leave the baby to Hanji who loved to make that gross cooing noise.

Granted, Levi hadn’t been thrilled with Eren when he started goading his son into calling Levi grandpa just because Jaeger thought it would be funny. Levi was gonna knock him one when Nic actually started saying “Papa” and gesturing to Levi. Contrary to popular belief, he didn’t have the heart to tell the kid to stop no matter how mushy Hanji got over it.

The street started to clear up as Levi walked out past the end of the market and back into the normal end of the town.

“Where are we going?” Nic asked and Levi could feel the kid trying to sit up straighter as if that could make Nic see farther.

“Same as the last time you asked, nowhere.”

“Where is nowhere?”

“Here.”

Nicolas laughed, kicking his legs against Levi again. Really, he was going up to one of the fields they kept when Shiganshina was rebuilt; the green of the field was already shining under the sun in the near distance. Since most everyone was at the market or working, he figured the field would be pretty empty and he was right.

“How’s this look?” he said when his boots stepped onto the grass from the dirt road.

Nicolas hummed thoughtfully. “Green.”

“Green is good.” Levi reached up and hoisted the kid off his shoulders and placed Nic down on the grass that was already dry from the morning sun above them. That was all Levi needed, Nicolas rolling around in the grass and getting wet with God knows what. Of course that didn’t stop him from taking off into the field the moment Levi let go.

Since the area was clear Levi saw Nicolas even as he ran ahead, knowing there was nothing he could really get into or other people around them to worry about. Levi just stuck his hands in his coat pockets and followed at a normal speed.

Nicolas ran for a little bit but when he kept looking behind him to see if Levi was chasing, Nic plopped down in the grass under one of the few trees that provided shade from the morning sun. “Papa,” he whined when Levi got close enough. “Why won’t you chase me?”

Levi sat down at the base of the tree, leaning his back against the trunk. “I stopped chasing after Jaegers a long time ago, kid.”

“Did you chase Mama?” Nicolas asked, leaning over towards Levi.

“I did, mainly because she was chasing after your father in the first place and I had to go get both their asses out of trouble.”

Nicolas giggled though Levi wasn’t quite sure if it was because the image of Levi trying to run after Nic’s parents was funny or because of the language Levi used.

“You know, kid, you’re not just a Jaeger.” He glanced over to Nic who was watching Levi with wide eyes that were so much like his father’s. “You know your mom’s last name?”

Nicolas nodded. “Ackerman.”

“You know that’s my last name too, right?”

“Yeah, Mama said you are the only one.”

“God, make it depressing why don’t you.”

Nicolas laughed and crawled closer to Levi, the smile on Nic’s face bringing out the dimples on his cheeks. He really was the splitting image of Eren; whether that was good or bad Levi would leave up to Nic’s parents.

“Papa?”

“What is it?”

“You are not the only one. We are family too.”

Levi felt a twitch of a smile on his lips. He reached up to push at Nicolas’ head making the boy laugh again. “You’re right. You’re an Ackerman too and you know what that means?”

Nicolas scooted over on the grass till he was sitting in front of Levi, small legs tucked under and eyes wide with excitement. “What?”

“It means you’re strong.”

“Really?”Nic asked, toothy smile on his lips.

“Of course,” Levi snorted as he crossed his arms against his chest. “Isn’t your mom strong?”

Nic nodded. “She used to carry me and all the food back from the market all by herself and now she does it with Carla.”

“I bet she’s stronger than she lets on.”

“Why?”

Levi leaned down a little bit so he was more eye level with Nic. “Cause I’ve seen it. I’ve known your mom since she was a kid.” Teenager would probably be the more correct term but whatever, they were still kids to Levi when they joined the Scouting Legion.

“What about Daddy?”

Levi leaned back against the tree. “Yeah, him too I guess.”

“He can carry huge bags of sand and flour on his shoulders.” Nicolas extended his arms over his head to show just how big the bags were. “And he can carry Mama anywhere when she lets him.”

“Yeah, he’s alright.”

Nicolas laughed as he pushed himself into Levi’s lap, nestling himself right in the center of his crossed legs. He knew Nic saw Levi pick on Eren enough to know Levi didn’t actually mean any harsh words against Eren. By marriage or not, he was still one of Levi’s few remaining family.

“What about you, Papa?”

“What? Am I strong?”

Nic laid his head against Levi’s chest, eyes still looking up. “Yeah.”

“No, I’m nothing special.”

“Not true, Mama and Daddy said you saved their lives when they were little.”

“Your parents are too sentimental.”

“No,” Nic said in a tone that only a child could pull off. “I think Daddy and you are the strongest men in the world.”

Humanity’s strongest they used to call Levi, a title he never really cared for. It sounded so much different coming from a four year old who called him Papa.

“Thanks, kid,” Levi said reaching up to ruffle Nic’s hair. “I think you’ll be pretty strong too when you grow up.”

“You think so?” Nicolas said with a glint in his eyes that was all his mother. He had the Ackerman blood in there somewhere alright.

Levi tilted his head down towards Nic who was watching Levi expectantly. While fighting Titans seemed like ages ago, it seemed like only yesterday Mikasa placed the little bundle of blankets in his arms. Nicolas looked like Eren, but he had the quiet understanding of Mikasa; he was a mix of them, all their good and bad traits all mixed up in one small boy. He wasn’t just an Ackerman or just a Jaeger, he was both. Levi didn’t even have to question it, after all, he saw firsthand the people his parents were, who they grew up into.

“I know so.”


	8. Bedtime Stories

_**Anonymous:**  Can you post a little fic so I can get my eremika fix in before bed? :3_

* * *

 

Mikasa shouldn’t have expected anything less. She had already been pregnant with two kids so she knew there was practically no way to sleep comfortably after a certain point. Granted, that did make it easier to hear when her other children weren’t in bed like they should be. She looked over to Eren who was sound asleep on his side of the bed; nothing was probably waking him up at his point. She carefully kicked her feet out of the blankets and got off the bed, just in case.

It wasn’t often Nic and Carla woke her up anymore, it was normally the baby twisting and turning at all hours of the night that did it. As she walked down the small hallway though she easily heard her two older children talking in hushed voices in Nic’s room. It didn’t sound like anything was wrong, just normal noises from the both of them. Mikasa pushed open the door to see Nic and Carla sitting up in his bed, lantern being held over a book.

“Any particular reason you two are up in the middle of the night?”

Nicolas nearly dropped the lantern and Carla had her hands clasped over her mouth. “I’m sorry, Mom, please don’t tell Dad we woke you up.”

A smile pulled at her lips. “I was already awake, you’re safe, but what I want to know is why you’re still awake.”

“We couldn’t sleep,” Carla whined a bit. “So Nic was reading a story but it’s not working. His story is boring.” She fell back on the bed dramatically.

“Hey!” Nicolas said. “It’s not boring.”  

“It’s boring.”

Nic looked like he was gonna snap back but Mikasa spoke first.

“I’d keep it down unless you’d like to wake up your father when he already has to get up early in the morning.”

Both of her kids kept their mouths shut after that.

“C’mon, Carla, I’ll tuck you back in bed so you two can try and get some sleep while the sun’s still down.”

She pushed herself off the bed with slouched shoulders but she listened to her mom just fine.

“Wait, Mom, will you tell us a story?” Nic asked, and Carla brightened up significantly.

“Please, Mama? I’m sure we could sleep after that.” Carla had her hands clasped together, her eyes bright as she watched Mikasa.

How could she possibly say no to those faces? Well, it wasn’t like she could sleep either. “Alright, get up in bed, you two.”

Nic placed the lantern on the night stand and slipped back under his blankets, Carla squirming in next to him. Mikasa would have to carry Carla back to her room if she fell asleep but that was okay if this worked. Mikasa sat down on the side of the bed, facing them and placing one hand on her stomach as the littlest one rolled around.

“I don’t think you guys are the only ones who want to hear a story.”

Carla giggled, the blankets up around her shoulders.

“Well, what do you want the story to be about?”

“Something scary,” Nic said. “Well, not too scary, just a little.”

“Something cute,” Carla added.

Scary and cute? Okay, Mikasa might not be Armin when it came to storytelling but she could manage that. “Once upon a time there lived a beautiful maiden who lived in a small country village. The town was just outside the castle were the kind king ruled over his people with a gentle hand provided the townspeople never left the country borders and wandered into the Forbidden Woods.”

“What was in the Forbidden Woods?” Carla squeaked.

“Monsters.” Mikasa leaned over to grab their legs making the both of the kids laugh. “Lots and lots of monsters but one worse than all.”

“What was it?” Nic asked.

“A monster who almost looked like a man, but he was as tall as the tallest trees and strong enough to pick up a mountain, but worst of all he would hurt anyone who entered his woods. That was why the king forbade anyone from going into the woods; it was for their own safety after all.”

“But the maiden went anyway, didn’t she?”

“She did, Nic, that’s right.” Mikasa chuckled. “It wasn’t because she thought she was as brave as the strongest knights who tried in the past and failed to slay the monster. Her little brother went missing and they couldn’t find him anywhere. The maiden had a feeling he might’ve wandered past the boarders, lost and alone, and the maiden wasn’t going to leave him like that. So she hiked up her skirts and ventured into the woods with just her father’s axe as protection.

“It was very eerie in the woods, so quiet you could hear a pin drop. She held the axe high but she was too afraid to shout for her brother, she was barely able to keep walking deeper into the forest thinking every noise was the monster coming to get her. It wasn’t long before she heard a low growl from behind her.”

Carla gasped, holding the blanket over her mouth.

“The maiden slowly turned around to see a big black beast, with red eyes staring at her snarling. She was so afraid she dropped her axe and turned to run. She could hear the monster chasing her and she knew she couldn’t out run it for long. The maiden tried to run back towards her village but she didn’t know which way it was. She was so scared she didn’t see a branch on the ground and fell right on the ground.”

Nicolas and Carla were both watching with wide eyes.

“The maiden turned around to see the beast coming right for her but before the monster could get to her, a foot nearly as big as a house came down and kicked the monster away. The monster flew through the trees with a yelp but the maiden didn’t feel any more at ease, she knew the stories, she knew this was the monster the woods belonged to. Two knees landed on the ground followed by two big hands and finally a head, and a face. The maiden wanted to scream when she saw him. He had a head full of brown shaggy hair, large pointed ears and a mouth that had rows and rows of teeth, but the maiden found she couldn’t scream when she saw him because the monster had the most beautiful eyes she had ever seen. They were big and blue, but most of all they just looked sad.”

How could Mikasa ever forget?

“The monster made a small noise as he reached for her with one of his big hands. The maiden promptly passed out. When she woke up she was back on the edge of the forest and the village, safe within her boarders and no harm to her at all. The monster didn’t hurt her, he brought her home. She ran to her home and found her little brother had returned too without a scrape.”

“He’s not a monster then,” Nicolas said, though his head as down on his pillow. Carla’s eyes were already drooping.

“That’s what the maiden thought too,” Mikasa smiled. “She went straight to the king to tell him the monster saved her life twice but the king wouldn’t hear it. He was appalled the monster would dare venture into their country and went to send more knights into slay the monster while the maiden’s protests fell on deaf ears.

“She couldn’t let them kill him, not when he had shown her kindness when she was scared. The maiden ran right back into the Forbidden Woods to find the monster and warn him. She ran and she ran looking everywhere she could for him. She saw other beasts and monsters watching her from a distance but they never attacked her.”

“Cause they knew they were gonna get kicked if they did,” Carla giggled drowsily.

“That’s right, sweetheart, they knew she was under the monster’s protection.  She finally found him, sitting alone in a field of the most beautiful flowers. He wasn’t doing anything really, just trying to pick the flowers as carefully as he could with his large fingers, making noises of disappointment when he didn’t get any. It was then the maiden realized why he looked so sad, he was lonely.

“He looked up when she started to enter the field. The maiden wasn’t afraid this time, she just bent down and picked one of the bright flowers, holding it up to him. The monster reached down and picked her up in his hands, flower and all. He held his hands open so she could stand while he brought her up to his face. The maiden begged him to run, that the king was going to have people come and kill him if he didn’t. The monster made a small but confident noise and shook his head. He was a monster, and deserved to die as one.

“The maiden didn’t know what came over her but she cried, and she cried, tears running down her face. She told him he was the kindest soul she had ever met and he deserved to be free and happy. The monster held her up to his face, as if to give her a hug of sorts. The maiden grabbed onto him and cried. Her heart broke to think of how lonely he must be and how she didn’t want any harm to come for her quiet hero.

“The next thing the maiden knew she was on the ground the in middle of the flower field, the monster gone. She didn’t know what to think or what to do. She started to cry again but she felt a hand on her shoulder, it was warm and familiar. She quickly turned around and saw a man standing there, smiling at her and tears in his eyes. The maiden went to run away from the person but she recognized his eyes, the most beautiful ones she had ever seen. She threw her arms around the man who was once the monster and he held her close. He said he was cursed by an evil witch who told him he would be cursed to stay in that form until someone showed him the kindness he always showed other people thinking no one ever would. The maiden was the first and the only. She held onto him and never let go. She knew he wasn’t a monster.”

Both Carla and Nic were sound asleep, breathing rhythmic as they laid in bed. Even the little one was resting peacefully in her belly.

“And they lived happily ever after.”

Mikasa turned her head to see Eren leaning up against the doorway, a smile on his lips. “What did you think of my storytelling?”

He sat down behind her on the bed, wrapping his arms around her chest and placing his hands on her swollen stomach. Eren propped his head up on her shoulder, pressing kisses to her neck. “Armin worthy.”

She chuckled, reaching a hand back to run through his hair.

“You never did see the monster in me did you?”

“There was never any monster to see,” Mikasa said, leaning her head against his. “Just Eren.”


	9. The Past

_**Anonymous:**  Can you do a fic of Eren and Mikasa's kids learning about the parents' time in the military?_

* * *

 

“Daddy, what are these for?”

“Hmm?” Eren looked down at his youngest daughter sitting in his lap. It was the middle of the day and he was trying hard not to fall asleep on the couch when he was supposed to be watching his kids. “What are what?”

Isabelle rubbed her small fingers across his lower arm pointing to the many half circle scars that were etched into his skin; the only scars his body ever kept. She looked up at him, her fingers still rubbing his skin, eyes wide with concern. Out of all his children, Isabelle looked the most like Mikasa, right down to that worried look he knew so well that Iz had down pat even at three years old.

“Those are old scars, don’t worry,” Eren said, wiggling his fingers against her stomach to make her laugh instead of worry about things she didn’t need to. “They don’t hurt anymore.” Well, not nearly as bad as they used to.

“But where did they come from?” That wasn’t Isabelle, she was perfectly content with Eren’s answer, her head rolling back against his chest, no, that was Nicolas joining in on the conversation now.

He was sitting a little bit away at the table doing his homework, though he wasn’t doing it now, he was just watching Eren with that look he knew very well now. His once very curious son had turned into a skeptical teenager somewhere along the way.

Eren resisted a sigh. It seemed like they always just ran into these conversations these days. Nicolas wanted to know everything he knew his parents had kept from him all these years and Eren wasn’t sure Nic was quite ready to hear about those horrors yet. He was pretty adamant that he was though.

“Just old wounds from when I used to fight, that’s all,” Eren settled on, keeping a hold on Isabelle who had decided she wanted to squirm around in his lap.

“They look like bites, Daddy!” she exclaimed, clearly taking a look at Eren’s arm again.

“Bites, huh?” he said, though he was still watching Nic across the room. It wasn’t the first time one of his kids put that together.

“Yeah, see.” Isabelle leaned her open mouth down to Eren’s skin.

His first instinct was to rip his arm away from her, but he knew she wasn’t gonna bite him hard enough to draw blood, nor had that particular aspect of his life given him any trouble in many, many years.

“Look!” she said pointing to Eren’s arm again, where there was quite a bit of drool now but light indentions that matched Eren’s scars, just a little bit smaller.

“All I see is you trying to bite me, little girl.” Eren went to tickle her again which instantly had her laughing, her body squirming wildly in his arms.

“It’s always the same thing,” Nicolas said, dropping his pencil on the table. “One of us asks about something that you don’t want to talk about and all you do is change the subject and never give a real answer. Mom does the same exact thing.”

Eren let Isabelle rest back against him, trying to ignore that slight slip of frustration in the pit of his stomach when he looked up to his son. He knew Nic was curious, he just wanted to know the things his parents quite obviously hid from him but at the same time, he was old enough to know there were things that never needed to be said. “Nicolas, did you ever think it was because there are some things me or your mother don’t want to talk about? They taught you in school what the world was like before. Your mom, your uncle, we lived through that. There are some things you don’t need to hear yet.”

“But that’s not fair! Even in school they don’t tell us everything. There are so many loops and holes in what they teach us and when we ask they write us off just like you do, like we can’t actually handle the real truth. Well, they’re wrong, and I want to know. If this was back then I’d be old enough to join the military now.” He crossed his arms against his chest, his face firm.

Jesus, it was bad enough Nic looked just like Eren, he had to go and get Eren’s bad attitude too.

“Nic, stop yelling,” Isabelle whined, rolling her face into Eren’s shoulder.

“I’m not having this conversation with you,” Eren said. Nic should’ve known just where he got that stubborn attitude from. “Finish your school work so you can help your mom with dinner when she gets back.”

Nicolas hit his hand against the table. “When are you gonna stop treating me like a baby, Dad?”

“When you stop acting like one. Now, do what I said, please.”

The front door opened and judging by look on Mikasa’s face, that conversation wasn’t one that stayed within these walls. “What is going on in here?”

“It’s nothing,” Eren sighed, leaning his head back against the couch as Carla scurried inside behind her mother with a basketful of bread; that she promptly dropped in favor of jumping on the couch to press a kiss to Eren’s cheek.

“Hi, Daddy,” she said before leaning down to give her sister a kiss too. “Hi, Izzy.”

“Have a good time with your mom?” Eren asked as she plopped herself down, clearly not having any more walking for today.

Before she could answer though, Nicolas stood to his feet, the chair scraping across the wooden floor. “So that’s how it’s gonna be, huh? Once again the subject gets changed never to be talked about again.”

“Hey, watch your tone. That’s not how you talk to your father,” Mikasa said, picking up the basket Carla dropped. Mikasa looked more confused than actually angry though. “What is the problem here?”

Nicolas was quiet for a moment as he looked between Eren and Mikasa. He knew that look in his son’s eyes though, mainly because Eren saw it countess times in the mirror. He didn’t think Nic was old enough to hear the full story, but if he thought he was old enough to know Eren would give Nic what he wanted to know. Eren was pretty sure once Nicolas heard a few stories he wouldn’t want to know anymore.

“Nicolas just thinks because he’s of age he’s entitled to know everything there is to know about the world.” Eren scooped Isabelle up in his arms and tried to pass her over to Carla but Isabelle was already squirming out of his arms, trying to get to Mikasa. He pushed himself up to his feet and gestured towards the door. “C’mon then, I’ll tell you what you want to know.”

Nicolas looked to his mom, like Eren wasn’t being serious but Mikasa just looked over to him as she picked up Isabelle into her arms.

“Eren, you don’t have to do this,” Mikasa said while their youngest rested her head against Mikasa’s shoulder, eyes drooping, and clearly ready for a nap. What his beloved wife was actually saying was “Are you sure you know what you’re doing, he’s still a child”; Eren knew Mikasa well enough to know just by a tone, a look in her eyes.

“I got it under control,” he said. “Nicolas, go wait down by the barn for me, okay?”

Nic looked like he was unsure what he was supposed to do but his curiosity must’ve won out because he was already out the door.

Eren walked over to where Mikasa was standing, her eyes watching the door. “I’m not gonna tell him everything,” he said in a low tone. “I’ll let him ask some questions and I’ll answer them. You know him, he’s not gonna wanna know much more after that.”

She nodded adjusting her arms to hold the toddler who was already practically asleep in her arms. “Just be careful.”

“I will.” He leaned in to kiss her, his hand reaching around to rub her back, before turning to head to the door.

“Daddy, can I come too?” Carla was sitting up on her knees on the couch leaning over the side watching him. She was tough as nails just like her mom, but Carla was also very sensitive and he knew anything he had to say would keep her with nightmares for days. She had nightmares about Titans before she even knew what they were, no, he wasn’t ready to put her through that.

“Not yet, sweetheart. I’ll be back soon, okay?”

She nodded and Eren hated to see that disappointed look in her eyes. He knew she wasn’t ready to hear it yet, hell, he didn’t think Nic was ready to hear it yet.

“Why don’t you stay here and help me make some cookies for after dinner? Your dad and brother always love your cookies.” Mikasa said and that seemed to brighten Carla’s face up.

Eren let the door shut behind him and started down the short path that would lead to the barn. He tried to think about what he would say when the time came countless times, but there was never an easy way to tell his kids just what their parents went through to get to where they were today. Nic was sitting on a bale of hay right outside the barn and he straightened up a bit when he saw Eren coming. With a sigh he sat down in front of the hay, pressing his back up against it as he looked up to his son.

“What do you wanna know?” Eren figured it was a good place to start, let Nic set the terms but really it just gave Eren control of what could be said.

“The scars on your arm, where did they come from?” Nicolas gestured to Eren’s left arm, the one covered in bite marks. He had a feeling that would come first.

“Well, they are bite marks.” Eren ran a hand through his hair. “They were self-inflicted and they never healed.”

“Self-inflicted?” Nicolas seemed a bit more confused now than angry. “You did that to yourself? Why?”

“You learned about shifters in school right? A handful of people who could shift from their human forms to Titan forms and back again, yeah?”

“Well, yeah, we did.”

Eren knew it was coming but it didn’t exactly make what he had to say easier to say. “To be able to do that, you have to have some kinda trigger. Mine was biting down on my hand.”

“Wait, Dad, you were one of them?” There was a mix of shock and awe in his voice. “You should shift into a Titan are you serious?”

“Of course, I’m serious, but don’t mistake that for being something cool when it wasn’t. Yeah, it helped a lot and it got us out of a lot of tight situations but it was very dangerous. I didn’t always have control of it, and I hurt a lot of people because of that.”

“How’d you realize you could do it?” Nicolas’ voice was bit softer this time.

“I honestly don’t even know. When I woke up there was a massive Titan body behind me, your Uncle Armin was next to me, and your mom was in front of us holding back the crowd.” He paused for a moment. “Before that, I had gotten eaten trying to save your uncle from the same fate. From what they’ve told me somewhere in between the ability forced itself out and I went around punching out other Titans till my body had enough, and your mom pulled me out of the body I had been in. They thought I was long dead before that.”

“Dad? The scar on Mom’s cheek, was that because…?”

Eren glanced over. “How’d you work that one out?”

“It was an accident,” Nicolas said sheepishly. “I couldn’t sleep cause I didn’t feel good so I went to your room but you and Mom were still awake. I didn’t actually hear what you were saying, but you looked really sad and you just kept rubbing her scar till she put her hand over yours. I left after that but I thought maybe when you said…” It was clear Nicolas was the one who felt a little embarrassed now.

Eren looked back out over to their house. “I defended myself when they called me a monster.” After all these years he could still see the courtroom all around him, the words being thrown at him. “But when they told me I did that to her, I believed them.” It was quiet again, and Eren quickly cleared his throat, realizing that was probably a little heavy for his twelve year old son.  “What else do you wanna know?”

“Um.” Nicolas seemed hesitant now, like Eren thought he might. Nic might’ve thought he was old enough to handle it, but Eren still knew better, even if his son didn’t want to admit it yet. “Did you kill a lot of Titans?”

“Of course I did,” he swallowed a bit, trying to forget those monsters had once been humans. “As many as I could to make sure we got out safe. Your mom killed more though. She kicked everyone’s asses.”

Nic giggled at that one. “Even yours?”

“Does that surprise you?” Eren snorted.

He shook his head.

“Your mother is the strongest person I know. I’d be dead a thousand times over if it wasn’t for her.”

“Did you, um, ever almost lose her?”

“Yeah,” Eren nodded. He took a deep breath. “Those were the worst days. She was always so strong and so invincible, sometimes I forgot she could get hurt too. I had to…I had to watch her get grabbed by one once. I was tied up I had no way to get to her, and just the absolute fear in her face as I watched on helplessly was…God, it was the worst feeling. She could’ve died in that moment and I wouldn’t have been able to save her like she always saved me. One of my comrades was there and got her out but moments like those were the worst.”  He ran a hand through his hair again. “It didn’t get too much better. The next time she went for me we both fell, and she hurt her legs and her ribs, she couldn’t even walk. We were stuck in a field surrounded by Titans with no way out. Your Uncle Hannes, who you never got to meet, gave his life to save us thought it still wasn’t enough. If it wasn’t for your mom making me realize there was still so much I needed to protect, we would’ve never made it. I managed to carry her outta there but, we both almost didn’t make it out of that one either.”

There was a small sniff from behind him and Eren turned around to see tears running down Nicolas’ face. Eren pushed himself up to sit on the hay bale next to Nic and quickly pulled his son against him. “I’m sorry, Nic,” Eren said, rubbing his hand on Nic’s back. “I shouldn’t have said all that stuff to you.”

He shook his head against Eren’s chest, hands limply in his lap. “I’m sorry, D-Dad, you t-tried to warn me. I just…I just wanted to know but…” Nic took a shaky breath in. “You and Mom knew why you didn’t tell me. It sounds so awful. I don’t even…” His voice broke off with a crack.

“It’s not because we like keeping things from you guys but there are some things that aren’t ready to be said. Can you imagine if I told Carla what I told you? She’d be terrified. I promise, Nicolas, when the time is right we will tell you everything. Same for Carla and same for Iz. For now, all you need to know is we did what we did so you and your siblings could live in a free world where you don’t have to join the military at your age, you can just be a kid, okay?”

Nic nodded, reaching a hand up to wipe his eyes. “Even though Carla was the only one who planned?”

“Excuse me?” Eren choked.

“Uncle Armin said me and Iz were surprises and that you and Mom only planned to have Carla so technically, you did all that for her.”

“That is absolutely not how it works,” Eren said putting his hands on Nic’s shoulders to get him to stand up. “And I’m gonna go talk to your uncle about what’s appropriate to tell you and what’s not, like that. C’mon, I’m sure your mom needs help with dinner.” He ushered Nicolas back towards the house though not without a little bit of guilt; Nicolas seemed to be fine now, but Eren wondered if he shouldn’t have said anything at all instead. He supposed he’d know tonight if Nic woke him up with nightmares of a past that really wasn’t that long ago.

Nicolas ran through the front door and right into Mikasa who was standing near the kitchen.

“Hey,” she said, a bit of surprised laced in her tone as she put her hands on Nic’s head. “Is everything okay?”

He nodded. “I love you, Mom.”

“I love you too.”

Nicolas gave her another squeeze before heading up the stairs, probably to find Carla or go to his room.

Mikasa looked over to Eren who was still standing in the doorway. “It go okay, I take it?”

Eren shrugged. “I guess. He won’t be asking again anytime soon I can assure you of that. I just don’t know if I can do it over and over again for each one of them. I barely told Nic anything and it was hard enough.”

“Well,” she said, walking over to where Eren was standing. “You don’t have to do it alone next time.”

He put his hands around her lower back, pulling her into him. “I don’t want you reliving all that.”

“I’d rather do it together, then one of us alone.”

Eren knew she was being serious but a smile pulled at his lips and he leaned into kiss her. “Yeah, me too, all the time.”

“Eren,” she laughed hitting her hand against his chest, but she still melted right into his kiss.

The past was hard to talk about still, hard to relive, especially for his children who never went through what they did. He’d do it all again though if it meant he’d have this life again.


	10. Trouble

_**Anonymous:** _ _Do you think you could do an Eremika AU were their married and have a child and the child is a teenager and gets caught doing something bad(not sexually) I wanna see how this turns out….._

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Eren was always caught off guard when someone actually knocked at his door. Normally it was just some kids wanting to play with Nic or Carla or even Isabelle these days, sometimes it was someone from the market bringing some food they were out of when Mikasa went the day before. Anyone who actually knew Eren or Mikasa knew they didn’t have to knock, they could come just in; which is why he couldn’t help but feel like something was up when there was a knocking at the door but Mikasa was already out with Iz and Nic and Carla were already down in the village playing with their friends.

Eren walked over to the door, swinging it open to see two figures standing on his porch. One was undoubtly his son, arms crossed and refusing to make eye contact but the other Eren didn’t recognize. “May I help you?”

“Eren Jaeger?” the man asked.

“Uh, yeah?”

“We caught your son fighting with some of the other kids in town,” the man said and Eren recognized the uniform as one of the law enforcement they had out beyond the walls. “We don’t tolerate that behavior in adults or in children. He’s old enough to know better and we’d appreciate it if it didn’t happen again.”

Nicolas huffed as he still stared angrily off to the side of the house. It was a scene no doubt Eren’s mom saw countless times when he was a kid, just normally Mikasa would be standing behind Eren, and it was Hannes who had Eren by the ear.

“I’ll talk to him, thanks,” he said, reaching out to grab the back of Nicolas’ head to drag him inside.

“I’d appreciate it,” the officer said. “I can’t promise there won’t be more consequences next time.”

Eren felt a twitch of irritation. Nic was thirteen, Eren wanted to say. Thirteen year olds fight, it happens but he thought getting himself into a fight with the officer would only get Eren in trouble when Mikasa came home; he didn’t feel like both men of the house should get in trouble in the same day. “Well, thanks for bringing him home.”

The officer nodded and turned to leave, Eren shutting the door behind him. He looked over to wherever Nic had sulked off to, which was the couch. His arms were still crossed against his chest, his face scrunched in what Eren knew to be anger or frustration.

“You wanna tell me what happened?” he asked, still standing near the door.

“No,” Nicolas said.

“Too bad it wasn’t a question.” Eren moved to sit down in the armchair across from the couch.

Nic didn’t move to look up or to speak at all.

“Alright,” Eren said, leaning back in the chair. “If you’d rather tell your mother why you got walked home by an officer that’s fine too.”

Nicolas did look up that time. “The kid was just stupid, okay? That’s all.”

“So you beat up a kid because he was stupid?”

“Well, no…I mean, yeah…kinda? He deserved it, okay.”

“Nic, just tell me what happened. I’m not mad, it’s not like I didn’t get into my own fair share of fights as a kid.”

Nicolas perked up a little bit. “Really? Why?”

Eren didn’t really know if telling his son about all the time he tried to beat the shit out of other kids was appropriate or not but if it got Nic to tell the full story it might help. “If I tell you will you tell me what happened?”

Nic nodded.

“Alright,” Eren leaned forward, his elbows on his knees. “They all deserved it too.”

That one made Nicolas smile.

“That’s not to say it was right of me to do,” Eren said making sure his tone was firm on the matter. “But your Uncle Armin didn’t fight very well when we were younger and he got picked on a lot. So I made a habit of trying to knock their teeth out if they did.”

“Did they, um, pick on Mom too?”

“They tried to but they quickly learned she punched harder and more accurately than I did.”

Nicolas was smiling again, like despite all the things his parents did for the world he was most proud that they beat up some brats when they were kids. It almost made Eren laugh.

“Why don’t you tell me what happened then?”

Nicolas looked upset again, his hands fidgeting with his pants. “He was just saying stupid things.”

“Like what?” Eren prompted.

Nic shrugged. “He just kept going on about the time when everything was in the walls and how bored he was of hearing about it in school. So I told him that he didn’t know anything and he got mad at me. He said that the…the, uh, Titans didn’t even look that scary. I told him that he probably would’ve pissed his pants if he actually saw one.”

Eren didn’t bother correcting Nic on his language; Eren was too busy trying not to feel a little bit of pride. “Did he hit you?”

Nicolas shook his head. “He said the war was stupid, and that the people who fought in it were just as stupid cause they took all the excitement out of the world. So that’s when I…punched him in the face. He didn’t like it very much and fought me back. When the officer found us he had to pull me off the kid and then he dragged me back home.”

“Did the other kid get in trouble?”

Nic grunted and shook his head. “No, cause I got more hits in so the officer said I was the one who should be punished.”

Judging by the way Nicolas looked Eren didn’t even think the other boy managed to touch Nic. Not that it was all too surprising; Nic might look like Eren but Nicolas was still Mikasa Ackerman’s son. “Alright, kid, I understand you had your reasons for doing it, and if I was your age I probably would’ve done the same thing to someone who was insulting people I love but it wasn’t the right way to go about it.”

Nicolas hung his head, staring down at the floor. “Are you disappointed in me, Dad?”

Eren pushed himself up from the chair to sit down on the couch next to Nic and reach up to ruffle his hair. “I could never be disappointed when you stood up for your family, but there’re better ways to do that than fighting.”

“Like what?” Nic asked looking up though Eren was still pressing down on Nic’s head.

“Like giving them a history lesson from your uncle, that’ll bore them enough to shut up.”

“I’m telling him you said that.”

“Don’t you dare, he’ll lecture me next.”

Nic laughed when Eren dropped his hand to Nic’s shoulder pulling him into Eren’s side.

“No more fighting, okay?” He looked down at his son’s face, eyes that were so much like his staring back up. “Use your words or just ignore them. It’s not easy I know, but you gotta reign in that anger. It might feel good at the time but all it does is push people away, sometimes the people you love the most.”

Nicolas nodded. “Okay, Dad.”

“And you’re cleaning the barn this weekend.”

“Dad,” Nic groaned hanging his head.

“Sorry, buddy, you gotta learn not to do it again.” Eren gave Nic another ruffle to his hair before standing back up to get a drink from the kitchen.

“Are you gonna tell mom?”

When Eren looked back Nic was watching hopefully, like there wasn’t only one answer about to come from Eren’s lips. “You know I tell your mom everything. She’d know in an instant and then I’d be the one in trouble. I like sleeping in my own bed with my beautiful wife and not on the couch.”

Nicolas groaned again, but this time he pushed himself up and sulked his way up to his room. He probably knew he was gonna get it worse from her than from Eren which was probably true. What Nic probably didn’t know is that Mikasa would be a little bit proud of him herself too.


End file.
